Mix Tape Friday: Goin' to California
In honor of my lovely week in San Francisco, this week’s mix tape is all about the City by the Bay. Did you know “(Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay” was inspired by a dock in Sausalito?
Led Zeppelin: Going to California
R.E.M.: I Remember California
Ocean Colour Scene: Golden Gate Bridge
Arctic Monkeys: Fake Tales of San Francisco
The Magnetic Fields: Come Back from San Francisco
The Decemberists: Grace Cathedral Hill
Elliott Smith: Coast to Coast
Wilco + Billy Bragg: California Stars
Sloan: Losing California
Pavement: Two States
Sleater-Kinney: Jumpers
The Ramones: California Sun
10,000 Maniacs: Hey, Jack Kerouac
Michael Stipe: My Gang
Richmond Fontaine: Postcard from California
Rufus Wainwright: California
Neko Case: In California
Joni Mitchell: California
Liz Phair: Why I Left California
Scott McKenzie: San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
The Jayhawks: Nevada, California
Eric Burdon & The Animals: San Francisco Nights
Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels: California Cotton Fields
Belle & Sebastian: Piazza, New York Catcher
Vanessa Carlton: San Francisco
The Village People: San Francisco, You’ve Got Me
The Mamas & The Papas: California Dreaming
Otis Redding: (Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay
Kristen Hersh: San Francisco
John Vanderslice: The Golden Gate
Madeleine Peyroux: California Rain
Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet feat. Iggy Pop + Anthony Coleman: Evil California (These Blues)
Riz Ortolani: Golden Gate Bridge
Santana: Samba de Sausalito
Joe Jackson: San Francisco Fan
Tony Bennett: I Left My Heart in San Francisco
R.E.M.: I Remember California
Ocean Colour Scene: Golden Gate Bridge
Arctic Monkeys: Fake Tales of San Francisco
The Magnetic Fields: Come Back from San Francisco
The Decemberists: Grace Cathedral Hill
Elliott Smith: Coast to Coast
Wilco + Billy Bragg: California Stars
Sloan: Losing California
Pavement: Two States
Sleater-Kinney: Jumpers
The Ramones: California Sun
10,000 Maniacs: Hey, Jack Kerouac
Michael Stipe: My Gang
Richmond Fontaine: Postcard from California
Rufus Wainwright: California
Neko Case: In California
Joni Mitchell: California
Liz Phair: Why I Left California
Scott McKenzie: San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
The Jayhawks: Nevada, California
Eric Burdon & The Animals: San Francisco Nights
Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels: California Cotton Fields
Belle & Sebastian: Piazza, New York Catcher
Vanessa Carlton: San Francisco
The Village People: San Francisco, You’ve Got Me
The Mamas & The Papas: California Dreaming
Otis Redding: (Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay
Kristen Hersh: San Francisco
John Vanderslice: The Golden Gate
Madeleine Peyroux: California Rain
Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet feat. Iggy Pop + Anthony Coleman: Evil California (These Blues)
Riz Ortolani: Golden Gate Bridge
Santana: Samba de Sausalito
Joe Jackson: San Francisco Fan
Tony Bennett: I Left My Heart in San Francisco
I’m on vacation, so I just don’t feel like writing about this collection of songs. I’d rather sit on my hotel bed, look lovingly (lustily?) at my baubles haul, and talking about what I’ve done and what I’ve seen. Music-chat among yourselves in the comment box, and I’ll chat back when I return home this weekend.
Here’s the goldrush in one easy-to-download zip file.
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Labels: I'm wearing flowers in my hair, mix tape, MP3 links are for sampling only and are disabled after two weeks, San Francisco, travel
posted by Cup @ 12:07 AM
26 comments
26 Comments:
i am so happy you are having such a great time in one of my favorite cities. i wish i could have a drink with ya in one of my (many) favorite dive bars. maybe next time.
and thanks for the mix tape--once again, you rock.
Oh happy day! great list, TGIF have a safe trip home...
Another top list!
One addition:
"San Diego Serenade" - Tom Waits
A must!
I'm partial to "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" for some odd reason.
Great list! Have a great weekend in CA.
Ooh, so jealous! Love SF!! I hope you've been to City Lights and pillaged it! My addition to your list (although it may be more appropos for the rest of us): Hem's "It's Not California."
Nice song list! I am downloading now. I admit I am a little sad that you are in my state and yet a bit too far to meet for drinks. Please share photos of your loot!
I must wave my classic rock flag: what about "Lights" by Journey?
Heavens above, it's on a street called Love ;) Can you dig?
California Uber Alles!
California Uber Nichts!
There will always be a moon over Marin . . . . .
Even the cops groove --
can you believe it?
Monterrey!
I've never been to the Northern part of CA... glad to hear that you are having a wonderful time. I had never heard The Ramones' version of "California Sun". They did a pretty good job on it. I'll check out more of your mixtape when I get home tonight.
I was just listening to that Magnetic Fields song the other day and telling a friend about how much I love that Belle & Sebastian song...
There's hope for me yet.
Great mix for a great town. Hope you have fun hanging tonight. We had a blast visiting our old home last summer.
Enjoy the down time Beth. I would have added to your list "A Long December" by the Counting Crows (most excellent song), and a rarer deep cut by Thomas Dolby titled "Screen Kiss". While neither is about San Fran, they are both great Cali songs in their own right.
Have a drink on me and see if the junk yard Peter Case lived in is on any of the tours while you're at it.
I think there was a punk song by some guy named Jello about California. But then again, what do I know about music.
Awesome stuff! California uber alles! Thanks for sharing...H&K
when you're ready, you must give awwwwl the dish, bubbie.
Well, you didn't have flowers in your hair, but I enjoyed your company immensely and I hope that you are coming back soon.
Everyone I've ever known to go to San Francisco loves it there. Closest I've come is crossing the Nevada/California border just so I could say I'd been.
Lovin your work as always, Beth!
And as always, ready to add my New Jersey slant to it: "Goin' Cali" from Bruce's tracks box set.
Of course on the trivia front, a few years back, Boss-a-holics were devestated to learn that his paean to Freehold, "My Hometown" while holed up at his house in the Hollywood hills, thus completing the cycle of the New Jeresy one's transcontinental musings.
Great, great list-- one suggestion, though: Phil Ochs' "Tape From California."
I think I had lunch on that dock - I'll post a pic.
Seriously... no "We Built This City"?!
C'mon, it was the #1 most awesomely bad song of all time!
M: Would love to meet up with you sometime! Next time I’m in San Francisco, let’s meet at House of Nanking, one of my favorite restaurants.
BLUEZ: Enjoy the West Coast tunes!
WAPENTAKE: A great tune, but I was trying to stay San Francisco-centric. I let a couple of California/L.A.-based tunes slip in, though.
DGUZMAN: How could I forget that classic? I love all things Bacharach!!!
KFLUFF: That Hem tune was on my original list, and I’m not sure why I cut it. Bad me! And City Lights was slightly pillaged …
MOXIE: If I get to L.A., you’re in the top five for cocktails.
ANANDAMIDE: I tried, I really tried to add “Lights.” But. I. Hate. Journey. My passion overruled my completist tendencies.
ERIK DONALD FRANCE: Damn great tune, but it went the way of The Thrills’ “Big Sur” — just too far away to consider it a San Francisco song.
MALCOLM: Hope you enjoyed the rest of the songs. The Ramones recorded some great covers; glad you enjoyed this one.
PISTOLS AT DAWN: Have you heard that The Magnetic Fields are touring in 2008? A friend already has tix for the NYC show.
TENACIOUS S: I forgot you once lived there; should have checked on your old house. I had a great time.
TONY ALVA: I’ve never been a huge Counting Crows fan. And the damn tour guide couldn’t find Mr. Case’s old junkyard, damn him.
EVIL EVIL GENIUS: Are you thinking of The Dead Kennedy’s "California Über Alles," with lead singer Jello Biafra? See, you are a cool yet evil genius.
EEBIE: You’re welcome — and H&K back at you.
JEWGIRL: I’ll try to post the dish tonight, buddie.
WRITE PROCRASTINATOR: The hair flower had wilted by the time we met up; probably that USC brass section. I had so much fun meeting you!
THIRD WORST POET IN THE GALAXY: It’s well worth the miles beyond the Nevada/California border.
MOUNTJOY: I just can’t get my mind around a California-livin’ Springsteen, can you?
JOHNNY YEN: Damn, JY, that’s a damn good suggestion. Your comment made me realize I’ve never ripped MP3s of my Ochs albums. Guess I’ll be up late tonight.
COASTER PUNCHMAN: I’d love to see that photo!
SCOTT: Seriously. No “We Built This City” … even if it was build on rock ‘n’ roll.
Great set... And how about Californication by the Chili Peppers! It's one of my faves by them.
Also, sorry to hear you hate Journey. I always thought the album with Lights on it (called Infinity) was perhaps their best.
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